PANJIM: Rogue cops from Goa, who allegedly accept bribes on Google Pay, may soon become the most Google searched ‘celebrities’ in Goa.
The bribery and extortion case involving cops with the Tiracol Coastal Police Station is getting murkier by the day with the arrest of another Head Constable Udairaj alias Raju Kalangutkar by the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) and more skeletons are likely to tumble out from the police closet.
The hunt is well and truly own for more black sheep in khaki. Police stated that Head Constable Udairaj alias Raju Kalangutkar attached to Tiracol Costal Police Station and a partner in crime has been arrested under Section 7 of Prevention of Corruption Act and extortion by making demands for money and issuing threats.
Police sources state that earlier the accused were tight-lipped and were refusing to divulge in details but off-late have been trying to shield themselves and have been rattling names of high and mighty officials who have deputed them to collect hafta from the adventure sports operators not only in Arambol, but the entire coast in Pernem.
“If things go on well with the interrogation, we might nab the biggest fish in the net who have been trying to swim to safety by wriggling out of the scandal by running to various politicians,” said a police official on condition of anonymity.
The officer also mentioned that there are names of two police inspectors featuring in the complaint forwarded by the victim Pruthvi H N, an adventure sports operator from Arambol, Pernem, who has even corroborated the evidence with voice recordings and SMS messages in the course of conversation he had with the police at the time of settling the demands.
The police officer also went on to add that those who are behind bars are mere scapegoats and do it at the behest of some ‘big black sheep’ in khaki.
“We need to nip this type of corruption in the bud by weeding out all those tainted officials who bring disrepute to the police force,” he added.
Sources also revealed that those involved in the scandal have been running from pillar to post trying to shield themselves and are hardly seen at the police station.
Police also revealed that they have summoned all those involved in the tourism coast of Pernem to depose before them and reveal whether they were paying protection money to coastal or any other police to operate their trade.
The Sessions Court Judge Sherin Paul while denying bail to the main accused stated that there was prima facie evidence in the case and the custodial interrogation of the accused was needed to initiate action against all culprits.
It may be recalled that earlier, Head Constable Sanjay Talkar was arrested by the ACB in connection with the alleged extortion of Rs 8,000 from Pruthvi H N, an adventure sports operator from Arambol, Pernem. Currently he is in police custody.
O Heraldo on its Sunday edition (April 7) had highlighted the story of cops demanding the pound of flesh to let Pruthvi H N to carry on with his trade since December 2023. Pruthvi operates a paraglider-low panorama adventure sports activity at Keri-Pernem.
The head constable approached Pruthvi and allegedly told him that his business activity was illegal and that he was directed by his boss at the Tiracol Coastal Police Station to seize his glider.
The station dairy stands manipulated, while no standard operating procedure was followed while attaching the Muddemal, said a police officer. The case is being investigated by PI Melito Fernandes, DySP Rajan Nigyale, under the supervision of SP Nelson Albuquerque.
